Although bridges are considered one of the great masterpieces of human engineering, nature, as the most outstanding architect, always brings us more surprises and inspiration.

When seeing these amazing and spectacular natural arches, you will surely be impressed by nature's masterpiece.

1. Shipton Stone Arch in Xinjiang, China Located in a desolate area of Kashgar, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China, the arch was not discovered until 1947 by the British explorer Eric Shipton in the nearby mountains.

Today it is considered the tallest natural stone arch on Earth at 365 meters, roughly the height of the U.S. Empire State Building. This giant stone arch was forgotten for some time after Shipton excavated it, and although it was once recorded by Guinness, the Guinness editorial team later became unsure of its exact location, and it was abandoned.

It was not until 2000 when a research team from the U.S. National Geographic successfully arrived here and finally included its glorious elevation in the book.

2. American Rainbow Bridge Located in southern Utah, the Rainbow Bridge used to be the largest natural stone arch bridge in the world. Known locally by indigenous tribes, these spectacular sandstone formations were not discovered by American researchers until the early 20th century.

The belatedness of this discovery was somewhat implicated in the isolation caused by Lake Powell and its branching currents. In 1910, the Rainbow Bridge was incorporated into the construction of the Rainbow Bridge National Monument, which is 84 meters high, 13 meters wide, and 13 meters long at its thickest point at the top.

3. Duddell Gate, England Duddell's Gate is located on the Jurassic Coast in southern England. Rather than a door, it should be called a window, through which the cold waters of the English Channel pass. Duddell's Gate is constructed of Portland limestone, which is harder than both clay and mortar and protects the bridge from wave erosion. But the Dudel Gate will one day crack, its top will fall off, and the side parts will slowly separate and finally become an island in the channel.

4. Puente Stone Arch Bridge, France Located in the south of France, the Puente Stone Arch Bridge was once an ancient limestone cliff, and due to the continuous erosion of the Ardèche River, the Puente Stone Arch Bridge was eventually formed.

This scenic natural stone arch bridge is estimated to be 60 meters wide and 45 meters high. It is also crowded with visitors who come here to see the numerous prehistoric sites and caves in the area, such as the famous Chauvet Cave. The local town of Archway Valley is home to about 200 people, although this number can increase tenfold in the summer.

5. Derrick's Arch, USA Utah's national parks have more than 2,000 stone arch bridges, and the 16-meter-tall Derrick's Arch is by far the most famous one, having been added to the national park's expanded boundaries in 1938. Since 1970, 43 natural stone arch bridges in Utah's national parks have been razed to the ground. Although this is not a new problem, it is disheartening to know that these existing stone arch bridges will one day be lost as well.

In 1950, the National Park Service considered plating them with clear plastic to prevent further erosion. Although well-intentioned, there's not much difference between painting and not painting.

The best craftsmen in the world are indeed no match for nature.